Some Schemes makes use of a Medicine Exclusion List (MEL). The objective of the MEL is to protect the Acute / Routine Medicine Benefits through the exclusion of certain drugs from payment for a number of reasons. Some of these medical exclusions include:
- Medicines that have not been proven to have relevant clinical value
- Medicines that are more expensive compared to equally effective, safe and cheaper alternatives
- Some expensive chronic medicines that require pre-authorisation
- Some combination products, where it is more appropriate to use single ingredients products
- Newly registered products under review